How it could have been
by Lolsita
Summary: What if Valentine had never been insane ? What if the Circle had never existed ? What if demon blood and angel blood had never ran through Jonathan's , Clarissa's and Jace's veins ? What if the shadowhunters you know had grew up together, in Indris ? This story told you about how could their life have been.
1. Birthday and Journey

Febuary 1994.

He jump off the woman arms and he couldn't help but made a little noise with his throat. He didn't want her hug. He only wanted his mother's hug.

Jonathan Morgenstern, was only 5 years old, but he already had a strong character. After escaping his aunt's arms, he climb his mother's lap and looked at the room. His aunt had organized a little party with other children, but he was almost the oldest. Only Alec was older than him and he was showing it. Standing in front of the playing carpet, he was looking at the other childrien, his hands on his hips. Jonathan sighed and looked at his little sister, crawling towards an other little girl.

"- Well, Celine. Does Jace want a little brother ? Or maybe a little sister ?"

The woman called out, a blonde with blue eyes, blushed.

"- We asked him but I don't think he care."

She laughed a little bit, followed by the other.

"- It's crazy, how it's different from a child to another ! I mean, one of Jonathan's first word was "Baby." while he was touching my belly !

\- Well, Alec's first word was 'no'."

Jocelyne, Maryse, Celine and Cordelia bursted out laughing, and Jonathan frowned. He had saw the little blond boy, looking up, as if he has been calld out when his mother had said his name. He grabbed his mother tee-shirt et got up, whispering in her hear.

"- What's his name ?

\- Who are you talking about ?

\- Aunt Celine's baby.

\- You already know it, honey, you're asking me everytime we saw them. Your dad saved Celine's life when she was pregnant, and to honour them, they named their son like ours. He's called Jonathan Christopher Herondale."

Jonathan frowned again.

"- But why does everybody call him Jace ?

\- To distinguish you and him. Does it matter, to you ?"

The little blond with green eyes cogitated and shrugged.

"- I don't care."

Jocelyne smiled and kissed his forehead. She winked at Celine who, like the other women, had attented the conversation.

Today was the third birthday of Isabelle, Maryse and Robert Lightwood's daughter. They had invited their closest friends and their family: The Herondale, the Morgenstern and the Wayland. Men, were in the garden, talking about demons, weapons and women, while the women in question were talking about demons, weapons and babies.

Suddenly, tears were heard.

"- Clarissa ! What's that behaviour ?! What did you do ?!"

Jonathan looked at the other Jonathan, who was crying, his hand placed on his ear.

Clary, his little sister who was almost three years old, was looking at her mother, tears in the eyes because she had been caught in the act.

"- Jace, what does Clarissa did to you ?"

He removed his hand and Jocelyne blurted out an exclamation. Two little marks of bite can be shown on his hear, little drop of blood and drool.

"- Clarissa, what did Mommy told you ? You don't bite people.

\- Except if they are evil.

\- No, Alec honey, even if they are evil, you don't bite people."

Jace had took refuge on his mother's lap, who was kissing his head and his heard, while he was whining.

Jonathan thought he was ridiculous. He looked at his little sister, who was crawling toward Jace. She didn't talked often to anyone who was not her brother and prefered grab his leg. He get off his mother's lap and looked at her.

"- Did you come to say sorry ?"

She nodded, inhale as if she was about to talk but she suddenly rushed toward him and kissed his cheek. Jace blushed and he can't help but smiled. He give her the kiss back and climb up again on his mother's lap, hiding his face in her throat.

Jocelyne kissed her daughter's forehead.

"- I'm prouf of you, little angel, but you have to stop biting other children, okay ?"

She nodded and ran untill Isabelle, Alexander's little sister. Rosalina and Alec were drawing on the table and Jonahan was boring.

"- Mom, I want to go to Daddy.

\- Go for it, honey, but be careful, okay ?

\- Can I come with you... ?"

He turned to the other Jonathan and nodded, with a smile. The two boys, who were named the same and had almost the same hair color, went in the garden.

"- Do you..."

They had talked together, kept quiet together. Jonathan smiled at the other child.

"- You go first.

\- I wanted to know if you wanted to be my friend..."

He blushed, more than when Clary had kissed his cheek. Jonathan smiled and violently nodded.

"- Of course ! We're gonna be the best mates ever.

\- And Alec too ?

\- Yes Alec too !

\- Not Rose !

\- Oh no, not Rose, she's a girl !"

They laughed together and Jonathan squated, hiding in due to look at their fathers, imitated by Jace.

Men were standing in the frozen garden, holding weapons, in front of each other. Rose's father and Alec's one looked as if they were about to fight Jace's and Jonathan's fathers.

"- Do you think they will kill each other ?!" exclaimed the youngest.

"- Of course they wont. You Dad often comes at my home and they do that. They're training, and later, we will train too.

\- Why are they training ?

\- To kill demons ! Are you stupid ?

\- No, you are stupid.

\- Shut up ! Otherwise, we will train right now !

\- But we don't have sword !"

Jonathan laughed and jumped on him. The two children rolled in the snow, holding each other. Jonathan was pulling Jace's hair while the latest had caught snow and put it on Jonathan's tee shirt.

The eldest suddenly screamed and go away from Jace, running, his hand under his tee shirt, trying to remove the snow.

Michael, Stephen, Robert and Valentine turned toward them, surprised.

"- Jonathan ! What are you doing here ?!" shouted Stephen and Valentine with one voice.

The two little boys looked at eachother, silently, and Jace answered, looking at his shoes:

"- We were training, like you. And it seems that I win."

The door opened violentely and women got out off the house. Jocelyn was holding Clary in her arms, Celine was holding Alec's hand, Isabelle was laying in Maryse's arms and Rosalina was sitting on Cordelia's shoulders.

"- What happened ?! We heard some scream !"

Jace repeated his words while Jonathan was silently walking toward his father, holding snow.

"- Jonathan..." said slowly Jocelyn, with a threatening voice.

Jace looked up, as if Jocelyn was talking to him. Jonathan put the snow in his father's pants and ran away, laughing out loud, while Valentin screamed in his turn.

The three other men bursted out laughing, while Jocelyn sighed with a little smile. Fortunately, they had dressed the children with warm clothes. She dopped Clary off in the snow, on hand and knee. She was so little, that if she had had her brother's and father's thin and silvery blond hair, she would have disappear in the snow. But her thick and red hair, like her mother, helped her to be seen.

Jonathan ran towards her and helped her getting on her feet. She jumped on him and both of them fell on the snow, laughing. Clary kissed his nose before being lift up in the air. She tried to catch the ground but only caught snow.

"- What is it, cutie ? What are you doing ?"

Clary smiled, and suddenly put her hands full of snow on his father's cheek. The little child laughed and hugged her father.

Rosalina smiled, cuddle up to her godfather. Everybody was happy and it made her happy. Something cold and frozen fell on her head and she almost screamed.

"- Alec ! Clear off !"

The blue-eyed boy laughed out loud and ran away, before falling in the snow. Isabelle, his little sister had threw herself on him and they both had fell.

"-You're a pain !"

Isabelle frowned. She was only 3 but already had strong character. She violently pushed him away and started throwing snow at him, almost burrying him.

Jocelyn rushed toward them and lifted up the little girl, scared about her to suffocate her brother, who stood up, his face was all red because of the cold and he was crying.

"- Okay, children, let's stop. I want everybody to go inside, we're gonna eat Isabelle's birthday cake. And Izzy. I want you to apologize."

Every parents had the same authority on the other's children. If Maryse told off Jonathan, or if Michael raised his voice toward Jace, nobody would say nothing, because nobody would doubt about each other's fairness.

Children ran away towards the house, except Clary, who was struggling in the snow. She whined, afraid of being left alone in the snow, and smiled at Celine, who caught her in her arms.

"- Are you cold, young lady ?"

Clary shake her head and kissed her aunt's cheek.

In the hall, each child was almost naked while one of the adult was helping them to get dry and getting them dressed again. The children slept so often, the ones in the others' houses that they had clothes in every houses.

Long minutes later, everyone was sitting around the table, and children were singing, almost shouting.

"- Happy birthday to you ! Happy birthday to you ! Happy birthday too you Izzy ! Happy birthday to you !"

Isabelle blew out the candle. Everybody applaused while Alec shouted:

"- Erk ! She spat on the cake !"

Everybody laughed out loud while Jocelyne give a little slap on the back of Alec's laugh.

_**May 1996**_

"- Mom ! Jonathan is bothering me !

\- Jonathan, stop bothering your sister.

\- She is lying !

\- Clarissa, stop lying."

Clary sighed and put her hands in her pocket. The two children, who were 5 and 8 years old, were walking behind their parents in the street, discreetly giving each other some blows. When Jonathan tripped Clary up, she stumbled, hands on the floor and started to cry, Jocelyn turned towards them.

"- Stop it ! I'm fed up with both of you ! If we took you with us, it's not for you to annoy us ! If you don't stop, we send you back to the Herondale !"

Valentine took his daughter in his arms and Jocelyn took Jonathan's hand. Children and parents were wandering on the stress, the two adults showing them the places of their youth. Clary and Jonatan were looking all around them, their eyes were sparkling.

"- Dad ? Where are we going to sleep ?

\- At a mom's friend's house. She's called Amatis Greymark."

He waited patiently and a sparkle of comprehension enlighten her eyes.

"- It's my godfather's name !

\- Exactly honey. Amatis is Lucian's sister. She lent us her house but we will have to sleep together in one room, okay ?

\- Together ?! In the same bed ?!"

Valentine laughed.

" Of course no ! Me and Mom in on bed and you and Jonathan in one other. Come on. And behave.

\- I always behave, lovely Daddy."

They entered Amatis'. Women's reunion was quite long and full of tears.

" You must be Jonathan ? By the Angel, the last time I saw you, you were a tiny little baby !

\- And now I'm not a baby anymore. Here's my little sister, Clarissa."

Amatis squatted to face the little girl, smiling.

"- Hello Clarissa. I'm Amatis, Lucian's sister."

She smiled in her turn, kissed slowly her cheek and whispered in her ear.

"- People calls me Clary, it's faster.

\- Okay Clary ! Welcome to Alicante."

She smiled from ear to ear and returned to her father's arms.

"- Amatis, I don't want to be unkind but...

\- Don't tell me more ! Everybody, go to bed ! I made two big bed up stairs.

\- Thank you so much, Amatis ! It's perfect ! Children, say good night.

\- Goodnight ma'am Amatis !" they said with one voice before to go upstairs, followed by their parents.

The Morgenstern, changed quicly and put their child into bed, kissing her softly, before to go to bed.

"- Mom ?"

A sigh was heard in the dark.

"- Yes, Clary ?

\- When will we come home ?

\- In three days, honey.

\- Thanks Mom. Good night Mom.

\- Good night Clary."

Jocelyn smiled to her husband in the dark. After a few minutes, they finally fell asleep ! She open her mouth to say good night to Valentine when whispers resounded. She coughed, to make them noticed that she had heard them. Whispers stopped a little, and started again, louder.

"- Jonathan, Clary. Stop talking and sleep, now.

\- Yes Mom !"

She heard them laughing again and sighed. Generally, Valentine was very strict about their sleep, but he was not saying a word. She pressed his shoulder and he answer with a little grunt and a pleased smile. Even him, was asleep ! She listened carefully, trying to hear her children. She could hear them, their voice were muffled and she guessed that they were hiding under the blanket. She got up, discreet and silent as ever, took her runestone without activate it, took place in front of the children's bed and, suddenly, lift up the blanket, switching on her witchlight.

Clarissa and Jonathan shout for fear before laughing at loud. Looking at them, she laughed in her turn. She giggled, switched off her witchlight and held her children in her arms. She put them softly in her bed, between her and her husband, where she know they will not be able to chat. She stroke her son's hair while Valentine rolled on the back, Clary laying on his chest. They were all already asleep.

"- Have a good night, angels." she whispered before falling asleep.


	2. Training and funeral

_**August 2000**_

Clary looked down. She was only 9, but she had understand what happened. She had understand when she saw her mother's face full of tears when she came home of a violent hunt, her hands full of blood. She had understand when she heard her father's painful scream, before falling on the garden. She had understand when she saw her father aguing with Alec's and Izzy's father and when she saw Jace entered her house and when Jocelyn rushed on him to hold him in her arms.

She didn't know how, she didn't know why, but she knew that Jace's parents were dead. She knew that she would never see her aunt or her uncle. Clary sighed and pulled on her white dress. The last rits have been done and she was silently coming home. She put her hand on Jace's shoulder and put a gentle kiss on his cheek. Jace was going with the Lightwood. He will live with them now.

"- See you as soon as possible, okay ?"

He nodded and hold her in his arms, as if she was the one who needed to be comforted, before moving away from her. She followed her mother, who was crying. Her brother ran in due to catch up with her and caught her hand.

"- Are you okay ?"

She looked up, toward him. He was 12 and was much taller than her, who was thin and petite. She shrugged and shook her head and put her head against his chest. She was afraid. In a few day, Jonathan would receive his first rune. Alec had did it a few months ago and it will be Rose's turn in 6 months. She knew there was no risk and he was able to survive this but she couldn't help but was afraid.

"- I want to know what happened to them."

Jonathan looked away and sighed. He had never been able to refuse his little sister's demand, even if Clary, who was much more mature than people of her age, didn't use her brother weakness.

"- Promise me to never tell Mom and Dad that I told you."

She showed him her little finger and he bond his finger to it, as they do since they were children.

"- Uncle Stephen died when, with Mom, they were on duty. A group of demon, next to the Italian frontie. The Clave overestimated them. Mom survived. Uncle Stephen did not. She came back home with his corpse on her horse, untill Herondale's manor, which is almost 2 days of riding. Aunt Celine had saw her coming in the distance and had commited suicide. When Mom arrived, it was too late. Jace was sleeping at Alec's so he knew nothing. Dad had a fight with uncle Robert to have the custody of Jace, but he heard them and just took place next to Robert."

Clary made a face, without noticing she was already crying. She knew that her brother was loving Jace as the little brother he never had. She bound their hands and yawn gently, silently thinking about her aunt's and her uncle's death.

"- Do you want me to bear you ?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"- You look tired. Do you want me to bear you ?

\- You can't bear me, Jonathan. Hey !"

Without a single word, he had throw her on his back and walked without showing an physical effort. Clary sighed and let him bear her, a little smile on her mouth, slowly stroking his back.

She opened her eyes in her bed, the next morning, without a single memory about the evening before. Did she fall asleep on his brother's arms ? She rubbed her eyes, streched out, and noticed that she was wearing her nightgown, her hair were braided and.. Someone had took off her socks ! Only her mother could have been the one who had put her to bed. Her brother always forgot to take off her socks and put her on his own shirt, and her father couldn't braid her hair.

She goes downstairs and found her mother at her stove. The kitchen, painted in blue and grey, was showing a surprising contrast. Her mother was cooking, wearing her gear, weapons placed in the most awkward places of her body. A weighty spear was placed on the table, which would have made her mother shout if she was in her normal mood. She came behind her Mom and hugged her.

As she wasn't expecting it, she turned toward her and jumped, catching her dagger. She pointed it under her daughter's throat.

"- By the Angel, Clary ! I didn't know it was you ! Forgive me ! I'm so sorry..."

Jocelyn looked at her daughter's throat, where a little dash of blood was dripping. She sat down, hiding her face in her hands. Clary gently held her mother in her arms, as she took her stele in her hands, before putting it in her belt.

"- I was about to put an Iratze on your throat but... You are too young and.. I'm so sorry Clarissa... With Jonathan's first rune, what had happened to Stephen and Celine and.. That poor little Jace... I'm so sorry, Clary, I'm tired but this burden is not yours."

She stroke her daughter's cheek, in silent.

"- I'm afraid. For jonathan. And for Jace.

\- For... Oh.. Yes... But don't be afraid. Everything is gonna be okay, you'll see. They will both be okay. Robert andd Maryse will take care of him.

\- Even with their new baby ?

\- Their baby is already two years old and he's called Maxwell.

\- It's an ugly name. I want to call him Max.

\- Have you ever noticed that anyone of you was called by their real name ?"

clary thought about it for a minute. Her real name was Clarissa, Izzy's was Isabelle and Jace's was Jonathan, while Rose and Alec were named Rosalina and Alexander.

"- Except Jonathan !

\- His real name is Jonathaniel. Don't you dare telling him."

Clary opened her eyes wide, and Jocelyn bursted out laughing.

"- I'm joking ! I'm joking ! But your father would have loved to call him like this."

Clary pretented to throw up and sniffed.

"- Am I smelling something burnt ?

\- Damn ! My eggs !"

She rushed towards the stove and throw the eggs on the bean, before giving an apple to her daughter.

"- Here. Have an apple. It's healthy, good and substantial. Is your brother asleep ?"

Clary nodded, crunching her apple.

"- I don't know. He might be. He is always.

\- Can you wake him up ? Uncle Michael will give you a lesson in an hour.

\- Where should we meet him ?

\- At his home."

Clary ran untill Jonathan's room. The road untill Michael Wayland's house was quite long, almost 30 minutes, and her brother was a real diva, able to spent an hour in the bathroom.

She laid down on his brother's bed and huddled against his chest. He grumbled a few times and held her in his arms.

"- What are you doing in my bed ?"

Clary contained a laughter. On the morning, Jonathan could be grumpy.

"- We have an appointment at the Wayland Manor in an hour.

\- First on the shower."

She bursted out laughing and ran untill her own bathroom. The manor's size, left by Jocelyn's parents, enable them to have a bathroom per person, which made Jonathan's request totally ridiculous. She braided her hair and put on her gear.

Having been raised in Idris, next to the City of glass, her parents had to educate her by their own. She was not obliged to go to an Institute, except if she asked for it when she is 12 or 18. Her parents had to educate her but they was able to do it as they wanted. With their friends, the Lightwood, the Wayland and the Herondale, they had decided to trained their children together. They were part of the Shadowhunter's elite and nobody was half the Shadowhunter they were. The hardest of their instructors was Robert Lightwood. He was unbeatable in hand-to-hand combat, and advocated endurance. He made Clary run as quick, as long, and as much as Alec, who was almost 4 years old older than her.

She catch another apple and sighed.

"- I don't wanna go.

\- Oh, Clary, you have no choice."

Jonathan just entered the kitchen, wearing only flexible pants.

"- We have to meet up with Jace. In..." He looked at the clock. "In five minutes.

\- And this is the exact reason why you have to put something on.

\- Have you seen the weather ? I go, wearing this."

Clary rolled her eyes and goes upstairs, half running, untill her parents room, where her father was still sleeping. She silently goes toward him and touched his throat, where a Parabatai rune, Clary had always know it where it was, had faded.

"- Good morning, little angel."

Clary jumped and looked at her father, silently. She crowled into his bed, cuddling against his body.

"- I'm sorry for what had happened to Uncle.. I know he was your bestfriend..."

Valentine sighed and kissed his daughter's forehead, with a tenderness that cannot be guessed because of the cold calm he was showing.

She sadly smiled and goes upstairs, running. She kissed her mother's cheek and got off the house, catching up with Alec, Isabelle and Jace, followed by her brother.

She was chatting with Alec while Jonathan and Isabelle were trying to put a smile on Jace face, when something arrived on their way. That wasn't supposed to be able to come near Alicante, but it was here. Made of muscles and tendons, the demon looked like a rat, as big as a bear. With three head and three member superiors.

Jace froze. They all had weapons but they never had to deal with that kind of demon. Isabelle was holding a long knife shaped as a billhook, Alec bends his bow, while Jonathan and Clary were holding their twins dagger, gifted by their parents, but Jace had been unable to make a single move.

"- Clary, goes backwards, right now. Izzy, too.

\- What ?! No way !"

Jonathan and Alec grunted while the demon moved forward them, threatening. Alec's hands were shaking, he was unable to shoot. Jonathan shout of anger and rush toward the demon with a perfect guard, while Clary grabbed Alec's arms.

"- Shoot ! Alec ! What are you waiting for ?! He's gonna be killed, Alec shoot !"

The demon, with a violent move, wiped out Jonathan in a tree after hitting him in the hip bone. He crashed on the floor and didn't move, a dash of blood stripping down his silver blond hair. Clary gave a hint of rushing toward him.

"- Enough !"

The demon froze, at the same time that Clary, and Michael Wayland got off the bush. He was looking at them with a dirty look. He snapped his finger and the demon exploded, leaving a myriad of glitter falling on them.

"- It was not a demon, it was a charm, created to test you. You should have been able to destroy that bloody thing. Jonathan will survive, he will be okay. Rosaline stayed home, she's sick, so I prey on testing you. I have an assesment for every single one of you, and it will be fast. Clarissa, Isabelle you simply panicked. A Shadowhunter, whatever its age is, don't panick."

Clary had tears in her eyes. Her uncle was insinuating that she was not a Nephilim and she hated him for it. She put her fists into her pockets and stared at her brother, who had still not move. She was able to see the deep wound on his half naked body, and blood was colouring his silvery blond hair in red.

"- Jace... You didn't move at all. I saw you react only when Clarissa shouted. I saw you thinking but you didn't act. You had the capacity to save them all, but you didn't. They could have died but you didn't move. Jonathan.. Well, Clary, you'll repeat my word for him ? He was moved by the desire to protect you. It can be a good thing, but here, it was not. Always remember that you have to think before acting. He would have need Jace's capacity of reflexion while Jace would have needed Jonathan's bravoure. You'll have to work together. Now, Alec... You are the eldest, you are a Shadowhunter, like me or your parents. Your favorite weapons is a bow, which is a defensive weapons. You should have been able to protect them. You had not been able to save Jonathan. If the demon would have been real, they would have been dead."

Alec didn't say a word. He stay silent, facing his uncle words.

"- The lesson is over. Have a good day, children."

He went away and disappeared in the forest, without a look. Clary rushed towards her brother with Isabelle, while Jace put a hand on Alec's shoulder.

"- You did your best and he betrayed us.. Don't blame yourself.."

Alec freed himself from Jace's hands and turned around, coming home, without talking to anyone. Jace went on his knee, closed to Jonathan.

"- Is he okay ?

\- I have no idea. We have to take him home."

Jace nodded and gently slap Jonathan's cheek.

"- Come on Jonathan, get up, you damn lazy."

He lifted him up, put an arm around him, helped by Isabelle.

Clary followed them, silently. She saw his brother's blond hair, sticky because of the blood, and she heard her uncle's word,like a litany in her head. "_A Shadowhunter don't panick. A Shadowhunter don't panick. A Shadowhunter don't panick." _She retained her tears and her anger. He was just a fool. Just three of them entered the Morgenstern manor, Isabelle was back at her own home, leaving Jonathan with his sister and Jace. Jocelyn let out a scream, seeing her son's bloody body.

"- Jonathan ?! By the Angel, what happened ?! Where are Alec, Izzy and Rose ?!"

Clary told her the whole story, with a hasty voice, while Valentine came, to hold them in his arms, relieved. He turned toward his wife.

"- Is he okay ?'

She nodded and stroke her son's hair.

"- I'll catch up with Michael. What he did was unfair and dangerous, what he said was false. You have the right to panick, as long as your warrior's soul finally get the upper hand. You will learn. I will teach you. Jace your...

\- I knew it. I knew it was a fake but I couldn't find the words to tell them..."

It was the first time since his parents' death, that he was talking to an adult. Valentin tousled Jace's golden hair and smiled.

"- It doesn't surprise me. I was about to say that your intellect is the thing that will help you during your fights. All your fights."

He looked at her wife with a collusion look and got off the house. He was blaming Michael for the children's pain. He had been intransigent but they was only children. He had been really harsh with Jace, who was already in pain.

Clary turned toward Jace, as he said:

"- I'm sorry to not succed in saving your brother.."

A tear was running all down his cheek. Only one thought was running throught his mind. _You had the capacity to save them all, but you didn't. _He hadn't been able to save his father, his existence didn't prevent his mother from commiting suicide and now, he was unable to help his friends...

He noticed he was crying his eyes out only when he noticed he was wrapped by arms. He didn't cry when he learned his parents' death, he didn't cry when he learned those death's causes, he didn't cry during the funeral, and now, he was bursting into tears without any apparent reason. He clenched his fits and went away from his aunt, who was looking at him, tears in the eyes, while he was avoiding her gaze. Clary had been sitting closer to her brother and was looking at them, worried.

"- You wouldn't have been able to do something, Jonathan.."

Only his parents called him by his birth name. He was proud of his name, because of his uncle and one of his best friend. But now, no one would ever call him this way again... He looked up to his aunt and rushed in her arms, bursting in tears. Jocelyn was dying of wipping away his tears but he needed to cry. During a few days, the child acted as if he was unbreakable, untouchable. But he was only ten... He had to release his anger. She lifted him up, helping him to sit on her lap and rock him against her chest, silently crying with her nephew.

Valentine came back home and look at his wife, sitting on the sofa, Jace and Clary were laying on each side of her, their head stucked together on Jocelyn's lap, both of them totally asleep. Jonathan, sitting, crossed legs on the table, was drawing runes on a notebook. He looked up to his dad and looked down quickly.

"- Come here.."

He complied, answering to the sweet order. He came near to his father, without looking at him. He was ashamed. Ashamed of his behaviour against the demon. He only wanted to protect his friends and his sister. She was the most important thing of his existence, he would give his life for her. It was his brother's duty. And he had failed.

"- Look at me Jonathan."

Jonathan looked at his father, who was so alike him. He was smiling and Jonathan couldn't understand the reason of that proud smile.

"- Dad, I...

\- I'm proud of you, Jonathan. You gave all you have to protect them, regardless of the consequences on your life. You will learn to coordinate with them and you will not ever need to protect them, because you will protect each other. You have no idea of how much I am proud of you."

He held his son in his arms. Jonathan, surprised, cuddled up to him, breathing a huge sigh of relief. He had blame himsef all day long. He thought he had disappointed everyone. But his father never lied and his father was proud. If his father was proud of him, he could be proud of him too.

"- Can you carry Clary on your bed ? You'll sleep together and I'll carry Jace on the little mattress. Is it okay for you ?"

He nodded and went to his sister, holding her carefully. He found it harder than usual because of his injury. He had spent the afternoon resting while Jocelyn had kept the children busy. But he was still able to carry his little sister. He carried her on his own bedroom and undressed her. He dressed her with one of his large tee shirt, which looked on her like a nightgown. He brought up the mattress and took off his tee shirt, and then, he went downstairs, kissing his sleeping mom's forehead. When he came back in his room, Jace was asleep on the mastress, stucked to his bed. He was sleeping like a log, relaxed and happy. Jonathan smiled to his father.

"- Good night, Daddy.

\- If one of them had a nightmare, wake me up. Good night, Son. I love you and I'm proud of you."

Jonathan nodded without intending to wake up his Dad if one of those child would have a nightmare. He wanted to protect them. Whatever the cost.


	3. Bonus 1

\- 01 -

"- AHAH Cecy look ! Your female descendant is killing your male descendant ! It's so funny !

\- Yeah, and Charlotte and Henry's descendant bite your own. I think it's funnier. And by the way, my descendants are called Isabelle and Alexander, Will, you should remember it.

\- I can't.

\- And why ?

\- Because I'm dead. And as I'm dead, my brain does not work anymore. And as my brain does not work anymore, I can't remember what you told me.

\- Annoying little bitch.

\- EXCUSE ME ?"

Cecily kissed his brother's cheek, laughing.

Death was the strangest place ever. They were able to look like they had been when they were 4, 18 or 60. Obviously, most of the time, Will and James would kept his teenager appearence. Charlotte and Henry had kept the look they had when they had their first child, as Cecily, Sophie and the Lightwood's brothers did, so that Will looked younger than all of them. In the big white manor, they all lived together. Cecily and Gabriel, Sophie and Gideon, Charlotte and Henry, and James. James' wife, had decided to live with her parents, but often, she came at the Fairchild's house to sleep with her husband, or James would sleep at hers. Sometimes, James could hear his father crying in his bed, alone in his huge room. So he would change into the child he was, aged of 5 year old, crawling in his father's bed, who was suddenly looking like a 35 years-old crying man. James would cuddle against his father, crying too. Both of them missed Tessa. Both of them missed their mother and their wife.

"- Dad, have you ever realised that our Jace is a whining ?

\- He is only 4 year old, James. If you had saw you when you were four...

\- Hey, I had never been a chicken.

\- I hate...

\- We know, William. You hate birds." Charlotte said, laughing.

" - I don't hate birds ! I like seagulls, I think crows are mysterious as fuck and I even miss London's pigeons. I just hate...

\- DUCKS." said Cecily, Gideon, Sophie, Gabriel, Charlotte and Henry !with one voice.

Will smiled proudly and hit James' hand with his fist, laughing out loud.

"- Why have you always been so afraid of ducks ?" suddenly asked Charlotte.

"- It's an easy story. When he was 6, Will had..

\- Cecy. Do you know what is supposed to be a fucking secret ?

\- I hate when you are so coarse, William.

\- But it's a secret !"

Everybody was looking at the big mirror and Will, sitting next to his son, put his head on his shoulder. The two of them were closed since they lived together again. They often slept together, talking about their wives, weapons, children... It was a weird situation to live in Death with only Shadowhunter and... With its own children. James and William could be father and son, best friends, and sometimes, to annoy Charlotte, Sophie and Cecily, they would exchange and James would put sunglasses and Will woud turn into a little boy with sunglasses. And then, no one was able to saw that the adults was James and the child was Will.

"- When he was 6, Will had been attacked and spied on by a duck.

\- ... How can you be spied on by a duck ?

\- It's not even funny Gabriel ! It was here, in the garden looking at me during the night ! And he came back in the mroning !

"- Lottie, are they about to forget OUR Clarissa in the snow ?"

It was a tradition in there. When a human being was someone descendants, the deads were used to call them "Mine". Since they had seen the movie "Finding Nemo", Will and James used to shout "MINE ! MINE !" like the seagulls everytime they saw Stephen or the little Jace Herondale, to the great displeasure of the others.

"- Does anyone here cares about my biggest fear ?!

\- Not at all, William.

\- How could they loose her ?! By the Angel, have you seen this little girl's hair ? "

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 02 - The Herondales' secret.

"- When he will die, I swear that I will beat off his motherfucker little ass ! How dare him tricking those children...

\- Stephen ?

\- James ?

\- May you speak a little lower ? I'm trying to look at the mirror."

Will looked at James and Stephen. Stephen had his and Cecily's blue eyes, while Jace, Stephen's own son, had James' golden eyes.

"- But you saw it ! You saw how he fucking behave with my nine-years-old poor little son and my nephews and nieces ! Oh by the Angel I will kill him.

\- Stephen, bloody hell, shut the fuck up ! Look, you will never be able to do whatever you want to, untill he's dead. And when he will be dead, you will not be able to kill him because he will be already dead !"

Stephen looked at James, making a face. He wasn't sure about if he liked his ancester or not. When he was younger, and alive, his father had read him a book called "Tales of Two Cities" written by Charles Dickens. In the cover of that book was Will's signature. It was so weird to talk to him like a friend.

"- Will, please ask your descendant to behave, damn !" shouted Charlotte.

\- What ? But... Jace is...

\- I mean James and Stephen !"

Will paused for a second, looking concentrated and suddenly changed into a 35-year-old him.

"- Guys ! Behave.

\- Daaaaad. I hate when you look like this, I feel like I'm 10 years old.

\- Well, it was easier when you were 10 ! Remember ? Remember when you still peed in your bed ?

\- DAD !"

Cecily and Sophie bursted out laughing while Cordelia, James' wife looked at his husband.

"- Seriously ? Why didn't I knew that ?

\- Why should have I told you ? Dad, I hate you.

\- I know. Behave okay ? You too, Stephen, I'm sure that Celine would be the happiest to learn a little more about what you did when you were 5."

Stephen opened his eyes wide while James laughed out loud. Stephen caught a pillow on the sofa and throw it at James.

"- Stop laughing ! It's not funny ! Mister-_I-Pee-In-My-Bed-When-I'm-30-_Herondale.

\- Will, I'm sure we can talk about the sheets I had to wash when you arrived at the London's Institute."

Will looked at Sophie.

"- YOU PROMISED YOU WOULD TELL NO ONE SOPHIE ! I WAS A CHILD !

\- I knew it was genetic..." whispered Stephen.

James laughed again.

"- Aunt Cecy ? Does it happened to you too ?

\- Nope, I think it must happened only to Herondales males.

\- AHAH I'm not sure Mom would said that.

\- William.

\- And I know that when I leave the Institute, you were still used to...

\- WILLIAM !

\- Still used to pee in your bed and even in your dress during the day !

\- WILLIAM OWEN HERONDALE !"

Everybody in the room was laughing, Charlotte and Sophie were leaning against each other, holding hands and wipping away the tears that were running throught her face.

"- I love all that saucy revelations !" exclaimed Will, clapping. He looked at Stephen, with a teasing gaze. " See how funnier are the things when we are dead !"

Cecily looked at her brother. She was the only one here to know him that way. She was the only one to had heard the bitter tone in his voice. She came to him, instantly changing into her 16 year-old herslef, and sat next to his brother. She cuddled against him, rubbing her cheek against his, as she did when she was 6 years old. She move her mouth closer to his ear and whispered:

"- I miss them too, William."

He shivered, held back a sob and burried his face onto his sister's hair, while Will's son, looking as if he was only six, climbed onto his father's lap.


	4. Defection and first Mark

The next morning, Clary was awaken by screams from the first floor. She didn't know why she was in her brother's bed, who was still sleeping. She sat up straight, at the same time as Jace, who was rubbing his eyes.

"- What is it ?"

She shrugged and stood up, taking off her socks, and got out of the room, followed by Jace. They stopped on the stairs, to listen to the conversation.

"- You don't realize Michael ! They are not used to that kind of demons ! Clary woke up screaming during the night and she wont evern remember it tomorrow morning ! She described me the monster you sent them ! And it's not a demon you sent children fight against !

\- And YOU didn't saw them ! It was a stupid little glamour and none of them had been able to detect it ! They panicked ! You should have seen your son, Robert. He was shivering, holding his bow, exactly as he was shivering when they gave him his first Mark !

\- Are you insulting my son ?!

\- I'm only saying what everybody is thinking."

Robert and Valentine were looking up and down at Michael, ready to stand up for their children. Robert sighed.

"- We should... Sit down. We sit down and you give us a report about what you think. Is it okay ?"

The other man nodded and Clary looked at Jace. She wasn't sure if she wanted to hear this, but Jace's eyes were sparkling. He wanted to listen. Fine. The ginger sat down comfortably, her back against Jace's legs and indicated the clock, whhich was showing four in the morning.

"- With who shall we start ?

\- My son. Start with Alec. From the older to the younger of them."

Clary held back a grunt. She had always hated being the youngest.

"- Alexander is a chicken. A coward. He only do things to proove that he is able to do it. He run slower than Rosalina, he is less brave than Jonathan and less clever than Jace.

\- Did you notice only a positive aspect in my son ?

\- Of course ! He is good at running away and hiding."

Clary and Jace jumped when Robert hit the table with his fist, but Valentine was the one to shout:

"- You are wrong ! Maybe you saw that he do less things than the other children because he stay in the background, but he only does this to protect them ! He saved their day more than once, during my lessons ! He run lower but he is vivacious, enough to be everywhere at the same time, to have everybody's back !"

Michael frowned his eyebrows and nodded, for them to keep talking. Robert sighed and open the mouth.

"- I think Jonathan has a great potential. He always does his best to protect them and to attack with a real wrecking strength, but he is unable to protect himself because he keep thinking about the others before himself. It can be a quality but also a fatal flaw.

\- It's exactly what I was about to say. He is narrow-minded, vain and unable to think. He always rush in to prove that he is the best, without thinking about the risk. He is not aware of the risk, for him nor for the others."

Clary clenched her fists. How dare him talk about her brother ?! Jonathan was not vain ! And he was even less stupid ! Well, sometimes he could be stupid, but not... That kind of stupid ! She turned her head toward Jace, who smiled at her, touch slowly her hair and her cheek, before looking back at her father, around the table.

"- Rosalina is a vivacious child, really smart. She had no problem to attack or protect herself, but her only problem is that...

\- She fight without thinking about the other. She doesn't trust them to protect her and attack without thinking about them. Once, she almost kill Clary because she wanted to block an attack while the litte girl was on her way.

\- And why was she ? She shouldn't have been there, that's all.

\- It's not that she hadn't saw her, it's that she wasn't careful, as she never was !

\- It's not her fault if, as an only child, she doesn't know how to behave with the others !

\- Your daughter had been raised up with our children, they are like brothers and sisters, maybe like cousins, so stop saying shit, please. She know how to behave with the other, but not in fight condition.

\- Had you noticed that Jace is also an only child, but he doesn't act like your daughter ?

\- Yeah, well, let's talk about Jace."

Clary froze, while Jace smiled even more. He couldn't wait to hear Michael's slanders. The little girl caught Jace's hand and held it. He smiled at her but wasn't aware that she didn't held his hand to reassure her, but to held him from running down the stairs if their uncle cross the limits.

"- Yesterday morning, he disappointed me. He has the ability to became one of the best Shadowhunter ever seen, but he had not been able to react or to break the charm, even if Clarissa herself should have been able to do it. He didn't move. Only when the little girl shouted, he became conscious again, but he still didn't move at all.

\- May I remind you that we were at his parents' funeral only two days ago ?! It's a child that lost his two parents in the same time ! You can't ask him to be effective right now ! We would be lucky if he didn't became depressed !

\- We are Nephilim, Valentine, death's shadow is over us since Jonathan Shadowhunter himself. Death is a part of our daily life.

\- He is only ten ! You're awful with this poor boy ! What is it Michael ?! We can't recognize you.

\- I assume you know that Cordelia and Celine were Parabatai ?"

Jace and Clary froze. They do knew that meant to be Parabatai. Clary had saw his father be in agony during Stephen's death, because of that bond. Robert and Michael were also Parabatai. Joceyln was bound to her childhood friend, Lucian Greymark, Clary's godfather and Amatis' brother.

"- We know it. Why are you saying that now ?

\- Because, when we came back to the Herondales funeral, I put our daughter to bed, and when I came back downstairs, I found a letter. A letter from my wife, saying that she was leaving the Shadow World, avoiding the pain, and that she didn't want to be followed."

Clary held back an exclamation and put her hand on her mouth, holding back her tears. Jace, speechless, looked at her and held her in his arms.

"- My wife leave me alone, with my little daughter, beacause of the death of her Parabatai. My daughter also lost one of her parents. Now, I wish to train her alone. I don't want neither her, nor me, to suffer from another loss."

Michael stood up and went toward the door, opening it.

"- Hail, and farewell, my brothers."

Without a gaze toward his friend and his Parabatai, Michael Wayland disappeared in the night.

"- Robert, I...

\- No. Don't say a word Valentine. In one week, we both had lost our Parabatai and two couple of friends. I'm as sorry as you are, and I forgive his defection. But I will never forgive him his words towards our children. That is what I will never forgive him. He is supposed to be an adult, he is supposed to control his pain more than a ten year-old child, but have you seen Jace being violent and unfair toward the others ? By insulting our children, its Jace's pain and his parents' memory he insulted."

Valentine didn't say a word. Clary felt a hand stroking her cheek. Jace was wipping away the tears that had ran on her face.

'- Robert ? Will you come tomorrow ? Assisting to Jonathan's first rune ?

\- I wouldn't miss it."

Robert smiled to his friend and slowly tap his shoulder.

"- See you at ten in the morning. We will eat in the garder ? See you soon, Robert."

He nodded and left the house.

Valentine sat down again and put his head in his hands. Clary gave a hint of walking toward her father but Jace's hand, holding hers, were holding her back, exactly like hancuffs.

"- Come with me.."

He stood up and Clary followed him, in her room. The grey and white walls seems dull to her, like the faded rune on her father's chest. He sat down on her bed, cross-legged, and Clary did the same, face to him.

"- I'm a little bit sad.

\- Because Aunt Cordelia is gone ?

\- Because we will never see Rose again. Nor Auntie Cordie. But Uncle Michael had been very evil and unfair toward us. I hope he will be sad without us.

\- Clary ! We never wish someone to be sad ! Even if he had been evil ! And we never bite someone's ear.

\- Why are you saying that ?"

Jace incline his head toward her, and she looked at him, without understanding what he was doing. Maybe does he wanted to show her how his hair were prettier than hers ?

"- Can you see the scar on my ear ? My mom always told me that you bite me when I was little."

Clary giggled, imitated by Jace.

"- Are you going to bed ?

\- Are you tired ?"

Jace looked disappointed, thinking that Clary was about to sleep. Maybe does he wanted to stay up all night with her. Or maybe does he wanted to avoid his nightmares. She understood him. A few hours before, she had woke up, screaming, struggling in his brother's arms. The demon was haunting her sleep, also did the Death. Jace shook his head.

"- I'm exhausted. But I'm not sure if I'll be able to sleep..

\- Do you want me to read you a little something ?"

Jace smiled and lay down on her bed, near to the wall. He was minuscule in the huge bed. Clary lay down next to him, with her mother's favorite book. She had never quite understood that book, but she loved the rhythm of the sentences, the tone of the words, the sound of the old english. She started to read:

"_It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair..."_

"- CLARISSA ADELE MORGENSTERN ! JONATHAN CHRISTOPHER HERONDALE !"

The two children, laying against each other, woke up with a jump. Jocelyn and Jonathan, hands on the hips in the same position, were standing in front of them. Jonathan walked toward them.

"- What the hell happened ?! I fell asleep with two children in my room, one who was laying in the middle of the bed and the other who was snoring, and when I wake up, I'm alone ! What's wrong with you ?! You have no idea about how much I've been scared !"

Jace shriveled up but Clary frowned, woke up on the bed and looked at her brother.

"- First, I was stucked to you because you were pulling the blanket, and you were holding me ! I almost suffocated ! And if we woke up, it's only because Daddy was shouting in the living room."

Jocelyn frowned.

"- What time was it ?

\- It was almost five. There was Daddy, uncle Robert and uncle Michael. They were talking about us."

Clary looked at the clock, showing eight. She had barely sleep tonight.

"- Come on, let's go downstairs. Daddy is sleeping and I wish not to wake him up.."

Jace and Clary stood up and Clary rushed on her brother arms. He carry her against him and she wrapped her legs around his waist while Jace did the same with his aunt. They went in the living room and cuddled up to eachother in the sofa. In the morning, Jace looked like he was almost 5 years old. He burried his face in his aunt's neck and rub his noze against her collar bone, while Jonathan was stroking his sister's hair.

"- Clary ? Would you mind explaining what happened ?"

She nodded silently and opened her mouth while Jace slowly went back to sleep.

"- We heard some screams from the living room and it woke us up, so we hid in the stairs to listen what were they saying. Uncle Michael was only saying that we were hopeless, that Alec was stupid, that Jonathan was a retard and that Jace had no excuse for frozing in front of the demon, but I don't agree with him. And then, he said that Auntie Cordie was gone because of Auntie Celine and that he didn't want to suffer anymore, and that he wanted to take care of Rose alone..."

Clary take a long breath, looking at her mother. Jocelyn was broken. In no time, she had loose four of her best friends. Clary looked at her brother, who smiled at her. _Everything is okay sunshine,_ said his green eyes, but she was a bit worried. In a few hours, he had to...

"- By the Angel ! The ceremony ?!"

Jocelyn and Jonathan looked at the little girl and then, at eachother. When did she start saying "By the Angel" ?

"- You're right. You should all prepare for it.

\- But ! My red dress ! It doesn't fit me anymore !"

Jace jumped and hardly opened his eyes, staring at her.

"- Why are you shouting ? And why... Why are we here ?

\- Honey, you fell asleep on Clary's bed and we went here to talk, remember ? You had to go to the shower now. Robert went to give you your red clothes Jace. Clary, I brought you a new dress. Jonathan... Ready ?"

He nodded, kissed his mother's forehead, ruffled Jace's hair, kissed his sister's noze, before going upstairs, into his own bathroom.

"_Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern. You are now of age. It is time for the first of the Angel's Marks to be bestowed on you. Are you aware of the honor being done you, and will you do all in your power to be worthy of it ?"_

The Silent Brother, Brother Zachariah, was standing in front of her son, and Jonathan was looking at him, proudly. He seemed calm and relax but Jocelyn was able to see the tension in his shoulder and his neck. She was scared for her son. Afraid for him to suffer soon or later, afraid of the nightmares or the high temperature, afraid for him to die.

"- Yes.

_\- And do you accept these Marks of the Angel, which will be upon your body forever, a reminder of all that you owe to the Angel, and of your sacred duty to the world ?"_

Clary was proud of her brother. Proud of him not to run away like she would have. Being a Shadowhunter was everything he had ever dreamed of, and nothing would stop him to fullfill his dream.

"- I do accept."

Valentin was shaking. He was shaking for his son. His own memory of his first Mark was still scaring him, and Jonathan had never had a good health. He was always sick, badly sick and the Brotherhood had ventured the possibility that his son may not be able to bear the Marks. But it was a choice that no one had the right to do for Jonathan. He was of age to flew away in an Institute but, as Alec did weeks ago, he stayed.

_"- Then we begin."_

He put the stele on Jonathan left hand. Jonathan felt his own breath speed up and cletched his other fist, pushing his nails into his skin. He always had been afraid of injections and scaled. The stele made him afraid but he wanted to fight for Good. He wanted to kill demons, to protect his sister and his friends. He wanted to prove to Michael Wayland that he was not stupid. He wanted to be a Shadowhunter, as his father.

Suddenly, a feeling of pain hurted his whole body, coming from his hand. He saw the black lines on his skin and the pain increased. He muffled a whine while a fear exclamation rang in the room. _I wont cry. I wont cry. A Shadowhunter shall not panick. I wont cry ! _He started to shiver and almost faint. Jonathan closed his eyes and stars appeared behind his eyelids. _I will die without crying. I will not cry. I might die but I will not cry !_

Pain poured back as quickly as it came.

"- You are a Nephiim now. I call you Jonathan Morgenstern, children of Jonathan Shadowhunter, children of the Nephilim. Rise, Jonathan."

He stared at his left hand, to see the Clairvoyant Sight rune on it. He turned, slowly, without realizing. The whole room was containing its breath. He faced them and suddenly smile while everybody explode on a violent explosion of relief. His mother and his sister stood up and Clary rushed toward him. She throw herself in his arms and he noticed that she was crying. He carried her in his arms, feeling like she had never been so tiny. She sobbed in his neck, hitting him without strength.

"- You scared me ! I thought... I thought you were... You scared me... !"

He smiled and held her closer, stronger as he never did. He saw his parents holding eachother, relieved and happy, Jace and Isabelle applauding and smiling, while behind them, Maryse and Robert were trying to calm their crying newborn

Jonathan looked at them warmly and met Alec's gaze. He was looking at him with a proud little smile. The two teenager looked at eachother and, quickly understood. After what their family had just endure, it was their duty to protect them. Because it was they were. A family.

Jace had came back to the Lightwoods', promising to his aunt that he would came back to sleep at their house once a week. They had spent the whole day celebrating Jonathan's first Mark, and now, Jonathan, Clary and their parents were laying in Valentine and Jocelyn huge bed.

"- I'm proud of you Jonathan. Really proud of you.

\- My little Shadowhunter..."

Hoepfully they were in the dark, thought Jonathan, blushing. He thought that Clary was asleep. The little girl had spent the whole day stucked to his brother, holding his hand, whispering "I love you" in his ear, asking for hugs... He hadn't realize how much the other had been scared for him.

"- You are squeezing me..."

They bursted out laughing. Maybe Clary was not sleeping.


End file.
